The Daisy is such a likable flower. She’s happy, pretty & uncomplicated.
She reminds me of the character Betty, of the duo Betty & Veronica, in the Archie comic books. I’ve always preferred Betty.
My first Shasta Daisy came from my good friend & mentor, KC. She gardened on an acreage in Sooke, where deer were common all year & black bear came around in the autumn to feast in the apple trees.
KC assured me the Shasta Daisy could stand up to anything. Even drought. Now, that’s my kind of plant! Something that blooms without any attention from me.
Along the hot, windy, south side of our home, we now grow a row of tenacious Shasta Daisies. They add colour with minimal effort. I haven’t watered the bed at all this year – not even once. Scout’s honour!
In the shrub border, that gets a good weekly drink, the Shasta clumps bloom well above 4 feet. Happily, KC gave me a head’s up about that, too. Because the Shasta Daisy is tough as nails, she can be a bit of a bully when given any encouragement at all.
I’ve followed KC’s advice & kept the Shasta clumps in big pots, then sunk the pots into the flower beds. The Shasta easily gets enough water, and the pots keep them contained.
Some folk say the Shasta blooms are kind of stinky. After 5 years of growing this long row of Shasta Daisies, last July was the first time I ever noticed any smell – – and I have to say, the scent really doesn’t offend me. The clouds of white & yellow flowers through July & August easily make up for an unusual fragrance.
KC recommended deadheading at the end of the bloom cycle. That’s not too big a chore, so each September, I shear the tops.
I figure it’s not a good idea to put all those seed pods into our compost heap. Instead, they go into the garbage can I use for weeds. Whenever that can is full, it goes to the municipal yard where their compost reaches heats strong enough to neutralize the seed.
The best part is that Shasta Daisy is perennial. She rests quietly over the winter, wakes up in the spring, and parties again all summer. 🙂
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© copyright 2012 SVSeekins
Garden Variety Life 